Niagara University Students and Faculty Present at Annual Meeting of the Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography

Niagara University biology/environmental science students and faculty showcased research findings at the annual meeting of the Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography, June 2-7, 2024, in Madison, Wisc. The annual ASLO meeting is the premier international science conference on limnology, the study of lakes and other inland water systems. This year's conference discussed relevant work on aquatic ecosystems in a changing world, and how aquatic organisms, ecosystems, and management are adapting to global environmental change.

"Attending ASLO was a great experience," said Coleen Edwards, a faculty fellow in the biology department. "There was a lot of interest in our research from others attending the conference. Our students did an excellent job communicating their science and took full advantage of the learning and networking opportunities the ASLO meeting provided. I am proud of each of them and how they represented Niagara University."

Rising seniors Samantha Wrobel and Ciaran Edwards presented the undergraduate research they performed with professor Edwards, Dr. Cassandra Marnocha, and Dr. William Edwards on the diet of the lower Niagara River zooplankton communities.

"While I have presented at several conferences before, such as the Eastern Colleges Science Conference, Rochester Academy of Science, and Niagara University's undergraduate conference, ASLO was my first 'grown-up' conference," said Wrobel. "Not only was I able to share my work via a poster presentation, but I also had the chance to network with people from all over (even Japan!). It was great to learn about all of the opportunities available in the near future and to hear about people's experience within the limnology and oceanography field. I was even able to get contact information for programs I am interested in post-graduation. Overall, it was an amazing experience, and I am thankful to have attended as an undergrad."

Rising senior Bethany Mangioni presented the research she did on iron-nitrogen cycling within Devil's Bathtub with Drs. Edwards and Marnocha. She noted that this was a unique experience for her because it was her first time presenting to an audience that included practicing scientists as well as students and their professors.

"This was a special opportunity to get valuable input on future steps and ideas to answer my research questions," she said. "I am working toward a future in marine biology and the networking opportunities at ASLO solidified and furthered my career path. I was able to connect with people from a variety of places and hear all about their research along with different graduate program options. It was truly a privilege to attend as an undergraduate student. This valuable experience opened my eyes to many different possibilities for my future."

Although rising senior Clare vanLieshout did not present at the meeting, she still found the opportunity to attend impactful.

"During a single weeklong conference, I made connections with many scientists within and without my field of interest, all in different stages of their academics or career," she said. "Listening to these scientists talk about their research or their current path gave me some invaluable perspective on what I want for my next steps post-undergrad at Niagara. It also gave me a boost of inspiration for my own research in the Marnocha-Edwards lab when the fall semester starts up again!"

This was Dr. Marnocha's first ASLO conference, and she found it to be an outstanding experience for the students.

"There was a lot of support for student scientists to network with one another, and opportunities to participate in career development events like writing and presenting workshops," she said. "Our students did a great job engaging with all there was to offer at the conference and were wonderful representatives of NU and of how outstanding undergraduate research can be."

The Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography is the leading professional organization for researchers and educators in the field of aquatic science, with almost 4,000 members worldwide. It was founded in 1936 to foster a diverse, international scientific community that creates, integrates, and communicates knowledge across the full spectrum of aquatic sciences, advances public awareness and education about aquatic resources and research, and promotes scientific stewardship of aquatic resources for the public interest.